


Back To Stanford

by KatsInSpace



Category: Chuck (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 12:23:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14544663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatsInSpace/pseuds/KatsInSpace
Summary: When Casey brings Bryce in after the latter had blown up the intersect, they're sent to Burbank to retrieve it, much to Bryce's dismay. And now, he and Casey are stuck in Burbank until further notice and that inclides being sent on missions that Chuck flashes on. But what's a trip down memory lane?





	Back To Stanford

  
"Stanford?" Chuck says with hesitance, staring at Bryce and Casey.

Both men had been his handlers ever since Bryce had sent him the Intersect. Bryce had shown up at his door the day after his birthday - the day after he sent the Intersect, practically on his knees begging for forgiveness. Ellie, Awesome, and Morgan had been there too. They had wanted to kick him out the moment they say him, but Chuck had decided to give him a chance.

Bryce looked like he was genuinely sorry and that he wanted to make things up with Chuck. He even explained why he had done such things.

Chuck didn't know if he should believe him though. Because apparently, Bryce was being blackmailed. It was by some people that were get bad news.

But Bryce had said, "If this were a lie, I would have come up with something believable, you know I would have."

Chuck had agreed. Bryce would have come up with something believable. So Chuck let Bryce begin to mend things between them, though it was still rocky at first.

A day or two had passed when Chuck found out why Bryce was really there. It was due to the e-mail he had sent him. Chuck had been a bit bummed out that Bryce wasn't there to mend things but Bryce claimed to have wanted to do that for quite awhile.

And another guy, someone named John Casey, came along and it was revealed that they worked for the CIA and the NSA agencies. And they wanted to drag him back, Bryce wanted to drag him back to Washington to "protect" him, well, Casey wanted to drag him back, Bryce wanted to just let him stay in Burbank and protect him there.

So, they did just that. And Chuck had been flashing on things. And helping them out with missions.

In all honestly, Chuck had been flashing on things and helping them out with missions.

In all honesty, Chuck had been secretly glad that Bryce was there. There was still some hatred on Chuck's end but he was still glad nonetheless. Why? Chuck could never truly hate someone who he deeply cared about.

"I don't really think that's a good idea," Chuck continues. "I didn't exactly leave off on good terms with Professor Fleming. You yourself, should know that."

Bryce holds back a wince.

"Aren't you the best option to go see him?"

"People still think that I turned rogue," Bryce explains. "Professor Fleming might still think I'm rogue and not trust me. It's best if you go. Besides, Beckman is sending me to retrieve something in town. I won't be around for a few days."

Hearing that saddened Chuck a little. He didn't want to be left alone eith Casey. While he knew it was only for a little while, he didn't want Bryce to go.

"You'll already be there Chuck," Bryce says. "It shouldn't take too long if all goes right."

"Yeah," Chuck says in a judgemental tone. "If nothing goes wrong, which something usually does. And I'm going to Stanford for a football game."

"Chuck," Bryce says sighing."You have to do this, Casey can't because Fleming doesn't know him."

Chuck sighs. "Can I get think about it? Get myself mentally prepared?"

"Sure," Bryce says after a moment.  
  
-.-  
  
Chuck sat in his room. He had taken out the box containing his things from Stanford. It had been years since he had even glanced at anything from it.

Chuck opens up the flaps, memories flooding his mind. At the top of its contents was the picture of him and Bryce with two of their closest friends from the frat.

Chuck smiles softly at it. It had been a much simpler time. He and Bryce had met when Chuck had been studying. Bryce came over to comment on his book and it went on from there.

Chuck places the picture frame on his bed. Maybe he would eventually replace the frame and hang it up again. Chuck looks back in the box, seeing his Stanford ID.

He flashes.

Chuck's blinking the bluriness out of his eyes after the flash. He frowns. Had he just flashed on himself?

Chuck needed answers. He opens his window and marches over to Casey's. He rapidly knocks on the door amd doesn't stop until the door opens.

"What," Casey asks irritably.

"I just flashed on myself," he said firmly, raising his ID. "Why am I in the Intersect?"

"Why don't you ask Fleming?"

Chuck knew it was ruse to get him to meet him, but Chuck needed to know.  
  
-.-  
  
Casey had made him stay in the car, why? He didn't know. Mentioned that it was dangerous for him since Fleming wasn't there. Chuck questioned why he was even brought when he was forced to stay in the car.

Chuck sighed, staying inside. He props his head against the window, staring outside. He stares at the empty house when he sees a man in a hat walking down the street.

Chuck quickly realizes that it's Professor Fleming and gets out of the car. He runs after hom, shouting his name.

"Wait! It's me, Chuck Bartowski! Your old student." He eventually gets him to stop and start talking. He even manages to get a secret code phrase from him.

But despite Chuck being there to bring him in, he couldn't help but ask. "Why am I in the Intersect?"

But Fleming refused to respond. "Bring this to Bryce Larkin," he states, holding out a slip of paper.

Chuck only gets a glance at it before Fleming fell forward. They both fall and the killer, the hired assassin, steps on, swiping it away.   
  
-.-  
  
The paper ends up leading them to a disk of all the peiple Fleming has interviewed during his time. They manage to get it in time, Bryce having joined them in the retrieval of the disk. They get side tracked for a moment but manage to get it safely.

And of course, Chuck couldn't help his curiosty when he had seen his name kn the year "2003," the same year he was kicked out. He had a feeling Bryce had something to do with it.

Chuck had the disk out when he hears a voice at the door. "You shouldn't have that, Chuck." He looks up to see Bryce standing at his door. "Hand it over," he says firmly, stepping close to him.

"I need to see it Bryce."

"There's nothing to see," he attempts tongrab kt from him but Chuck shifts away, preventing him,from getting it. "Chuck."

"No!" He denied. "Why won't you let me see it? What's so important in my interview that you won't let me watch it?"

"It's not important," Bryce continued to deny, attempting to grab it again. "Now hand it over."

"If it's so unimportant, then why won't you let me watch it?" Chuck demanded. "Stop trying to protect me Bryce, I can handle at least something in my life. Why don't you trust me?"

Bryce seemed to freeze at his words. He looked very tense. "Of course I trust you."

"Then why won't you let me look at them?" Chuck stared up at Bruce with wide eyes, a pout on his face. He sees the other sigh and give in.

"Fine."

Chuck smiles, turning back to his computer. Chuck inserts the disk, noticing that Bryce had taken a few steps away from him. He opens up his interview.

"Test Subject 0326, Bartowski."

Chuck frowns a little when Fleming requests for him to enter. He didn't remember being called into his office. But instead, Bryce walks in.

Chuck glances up at a Bryce for a moment. The other was looking away, refusing to look at him. Chuck looks back at the video.

"Bryce? What are you doing here? I'm waiting for another student."

"Chuck Bartowski? He never got your message." Bryce looked tense and serious. He takes a seat in front of Fleming. "You put Chuck in the CIA recruitment track."

Of course Bryce intercepted the message. That's why he doesn't remember a meeting; he didn't have one.

His old teacher replies, "I'm requiredto send all the top test scores."

"I want him out of this," Bryce demands firmly.

All Chuck can see is the emotions on Bryce's face. He starts to now fully understand what Bryce had went through back in Stanford.

"You know I can't do that Bryce," Fleming sighs. "They want him for the Omaha Project."

Bryce's eyes widen in horror. "That's a military project, tbey'll turn Chuck into-"

"You don't understand," Bryce pushes firmly. "Chuck is a good person, he's kind and pure hearted. He won't survive out there on the field."

"His test scores coorelate to 98% of the right answers."

Bryce sighs, and he could see all the pain showing. And every negative thought he had about Bryce vanishes. They weren't much, but he'd still take them all back.

"I love him, Professor Fleming," Bryce confesses. "I can't allow them to take away everything that makes Chuck, Chuck."

Chuck's eyes widen. He could faintly hear the video running, somethinf about Bryce framing him for cheating to prevent the CIA from getting him. But did Bryce just say that he loves him?

Chuck didn't know what to say, except for "You love me?" He turned his gaze from his computer screen to Bryce.

Bryce just stood there, very tense and refusing to look anywhere neat Chuck. "I understand thay you don't feel the same," 'What?' Chuck can't help but think. "But don't let that get in the way of protecting you."

And out of all that he could have said, he blurts out, "And you're still in love with me."

Bryce turns firm. He looks Chuck in the eyes, expression hard. "Hand over the disk Chuck."

It takes him a moment, but he eventually says, "No, I'm not giving you this disk."

Bryce looks a but surprised for a moment but quickly passes. "Chuck," he repeats firmly. He steps close to him. "Don't make me hurt you."

Chuck didn't feel threatened at all. "You're not going to hurt me," Chuck looked at him with disbelief. "I know you won't."

Byce takes a step forward as if he actually considered it. But Chuck knee he wouldn't. "Chuck-"

Chuck grabs his arm, pulling him off his feet as he stands. Both himself and Bryce were shocked at his action.

Bryce, so much thay he falters, freezing for a moment as Chuck pulled him close. He wraps his arms around him, keeping firm with his hug.

"That was very much important Bryce."

It's awhile before Bryce speaks again. "I didn't want you to know," he replied softly. He hesitates before leaning into the hug.

"I wish I had known before," Chuck confesses, refusing to let go of him.

Bryce doesn't say anything but Chuck knows - from being friends with him for so long - that he didn't want to bring his hopes up and was having an internal turmoil. "It wouldn't have mattered," he says too softly to know his tone of voice. He attempts to push away from Chuck, though only half-heartedly.

"It would!" Chuck exclaimed surely, looking at Bryce in the eyes. The other wouldn't dare to look back though, still uncomfortable about their conversation. "It definitely would have." He held onto him.

"Would it really have?" Bryce asked, doubt in his voice. He stared back at him, refusing to see what was in front of him.

Chuck nodded. "We could have been something, Bryce!" He exclaims. "Things might have been a bit different-"

Bryce flinches at that.

"But all I know is that whatever it was, we'd be together living happily."

Bryce hesitated, looking intensely at Chuck. "Even after all I did, you'd still be willing to be in a relationship with me? "

Chuck nods slowly, hope shining in his eyes. "So how about it?" He asked softly, trying to hide how much he wanted this but failing completely. "Do you want to uh, try out a relationship together?"

"I can't."

Chuck's expression falls. "Oh." He pulls away, taking a few steps away from Bryce. He attempts to smile. Trying act as if he hadn't just got his heart broken again. "I-" he paused. "I understand."

"Chuck," he says in a regretful tone. "Know that it's not because I don't want to, but because I'm your handler, it would be inappropriate for us to date."

"But we knew each other before everything even happened," Chuck stared at him with a small pout. "It's not fair."

"It's the CIA Chuck, I don't make the rules."

"Screw the rules!" Chuck exclaimed. "Can't we just have this one thing to ourselves?" When he sees Bryce's hesitance, he continues. "I love you Bryce, I want to make this happen between us."

That seemed to convince him.

"So?" Chuck asks.

Bryce smiled, and said "Screw the rules" before pressing a firm kiss on his lips.


End file.
